As for solutions, this week I’ve seen two separate cases made for more houses and lower rents, not as an end in themselves but because of the benefits this would have to the economy as a whole.

Peter Jeffreys, of Shelter, provides the above chart in his post at LSE blogs. He argues that high rents are taking money away from the rest of the economy, stifling demand, and impeding a recovery. The solution? More affordable housing.

And London Assembly member Darren Johnson (Green) has put out a document listing, in his view, 10 myths associated with housing benefit. I’ve embedded it below. His sixth point makes the case that lower rents = lower housing benefit payments. The solution? More affordable housing.

How likely is this to happen? Well, in Newham last year they started to build 0 affordable homes. Zero.

This is exactly the sort of serious, complex, long-term, city wide issue that an energetic and committed elected Mayor could really help to solve…